SIR PAUL McCARTNEY has cemented his place as the richest musician in the UK after seeing his personal fortune surge to a mammoth £820 million with a little help from his wife.

Topping the 30th annual Sunday Times’ Rich List in the UK music industry, the former Beatle has now seen his wealth rise by a staggering 925 per cent since the list began back in 1989.

The new figure makes him the richest musician in the history of the Rich List, pushing ever closer to the £1billion mark, thanks to the never-ending royalty stream from The Beatles back catalogue, still strong nearly 50 years after the group disbanded.

But the valuation of his fortune has further been bolstered as it also includes the assets of his wife Nancy Shevell, 58.

She is heiress to the huge American trucking concern, New England Motor Freight, which has annual sales of around £330 million.

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Sir Paul, 75, who collected his Companion of Honour medal at Buckingham Palace last week for his contribution to music in the UK and worldwide, has further benefited from a 2015 deal that allowed The Beatles’ 13 albums to be available on streaming services.

His £40million rise in net wealth this year is split equally between revenue from The Beatles’ songs and income from a 37-date tour that took in Japan, Brazil, Mexico, Australia and the United States, grossing £100million at the box office.

The list also reveals that the UK musician with the fastest rising wealth is the hitmaker Ed Sheeran.

His fortune grew by £28 million last year - percentage wise more than any other British musician.

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While at 35th place in the overall list of richest UK musicians, the Shape Of You singer is second-wealthiest young musician.

Rita Ora also made it on to the list of the UK’s wealthiest young musicians for the first time.

The Anywhere singer, 27, is worth £16 million – despite having only released one album.

Ora, who is set to release a second album later this year, is 11th in the list of wealthiest young musicians

But Adele retained her title as the richest young musician for the second year running, increasing her wealth by £15million in the last year,

The phenomenally successful album, 25, is believed to have sold more than 20million copies globally and it was still one of the UK’s top-selling records in 2017, two years after its release.

The Tottenham-born singer’s 100-show world tour, of which the last two nights were cancelled due to vocal problems, has set Adele ahead of the pack, and £60 million clear even of the phenomenally success Sheeran.

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Robert Watts, the compiler of The Sunday Times Rich List, said: “For years our music millionaires list has been dominated by older acts, such as the Rolling Stones and Sir Elton John, who have an older audiences able to pay a premium to see their favourite acts.

“But some of the biggest risers over the past year have been amongst younger acts such as Ed Sheeran, Adele and Calvin Harris.

“Streaming services, the internet and income from endorsements are helping today’s young musicians build an international following - and with it their fortunes - far quicker than the older rockers.”

He added: “We think it won’t be long before some of these relative newcomers will surpass the wealth racked up by rock legends who in some cases have been on stage for nearly half a century.”

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Sir Elton, in fourth place on the overall list, is the only other musician alongside Sir Paul to appear in the very first Sunday Times Rich List in 1989.

He played 100 shows in 23 countries in 2017, belying his 71 years.

Sir Elton is now worth £300 million, 650 per cent up on his 1989 debut and £10 million up on last year.

He has recently announced a three-year-long goodbye tour running to 300 shows across five continents before he finally hangs up the sequined suits and sparkly sunglasses.

Others to make a mint this year from touring, include the Rolling Stones, collectively up £40 million (£10 million each for Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood); Coldplay, who are collectively up £50 million – with a £14million net gain for Chris Martin and £12 million each for Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion); and Robbie Williams, 14th in the Music Rich List, who grossed £46million from 31 shows last year, contributing to a £15 million rise in his net wealth to £165 million.